INFORMATION Minister Senator Dana Morris Dixon has sought to clarify public concerns surrounding the recruitment of the new head of the Financial Investigations Division (FID), stating that law enforcement experience was never a mandatory requirement for the post and was removed during the process to allow for a broader pool of applicants.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday, Morris Dixon dismissed suggestions of irregularity or secrecy in the appointment process, emphasising that the selection adhered to standard public sector procedures.

“There is nothing to hide in relation to that selection process. There was a process that was engaged with and a candidate was selected,” she said.

According to the minister, the original recruitment effort resulted in the selection of a candidate who ultimately declined the offer. This led the interview panel to return to the market in search of new applicants.

“There were two rounds that were done. In the first round, a candidate was selected but that candidate opted not to accept the position. The panel that had been doing the interviews decided that they have to go back out in order to get a new candidate because the candidate from the original round did not accept the offer,” she said.

She confirmed that to widen the applicant base, the panel made a strategic decision to revise the job advertisement and remove the requirement for law enforcement experience — something she says was not consistently required of past FID heads.

“The criteria in relation to law enforcement experience was not one that was there from the very beginning, and if you look at those who have headed the FID, they have not had law enforcement experience except for one. The last two who were acting did not have it. The longest-serving head did not have specific law enforcement experience,” she said.

She also noted that this decision was not viewed as controversial within the interview panel, but was rather a necessary step to ensure that a wide and competitive slate of candidates could be considered for a role she described as “important” and “strategic”.

“They wanted to also broaden the pool of individuals that could be selected. And, as you know, when you do this, and this is done across Jamaica, you always want to get the best person you can. You put up an ad, and you do your interviews, and you select someone,” she said.

She further explained that once the new call for applications was made, a wider range of candidates submitted interest. She said the panel then shortlisted applicants, conducted interviews, and ultimately selected the individual who received the highest score.

“From all of my checks, it was a process that was followed. The candidate with the highest score was the person who was offered the position. That person was felt by the interview panel to have the kind of management experience to lead such an important organisation,” she said.

She also addressed public requests made under the Access to Information (ATI) Act concerning the hiring process, stating that all relevant documents — such as the scoring sheet and employment contract — have been released to the requesting media outlets.

However, she clarified that verbal exchanges or conversations during the interview process are not considered documents and therefore are not subject to ATI disclosure.

“Under the Access to Information Act, when a request is made, it’s a request for documents. Where there are no documents, the request cannot be honoured. So what I have said today is: Conversations that would have taken place as a part of the interview process, that’s not a document so that cannot be provided on your ATI request. And so, I’m giving you the information, not as an ATI request but just in terms of the questions that have been asked in the media,” said Morris Dixon.